Saturday, March 20th, 2010
Every day state senator Jeff Van Drew is in the news. Van Drew will try hard for constituents. Van Drew wants to name a road. Van Drew wants to save the puppies. This media hound knows what works. He has turned this strategy into a political career.
Today’s headline is Van Drew planning hearing to save UEZs. The unnamed article claims the self-promoter will be holding hearings “to discuss the devastating impact of the potential loss of the UEZ program.”
Nothing like rigging the hearing ahead of time.
My question is whether or not the hearing is even warranted. According to Vineland/Millville UEZ site:
The Urban Enterprise Zone Program is a twenty-year program created by the State of New Jersey as a tool to create economic development and employment in distressed cities. The Vineland/Millville Zone is one of twenty-seven zones in New Jersey. Vineland and Millville became active in the Urban Enterprise Zone Program in April 1986.
Van Drew claims his hearing is needed.
“We need to hear the success stories, as well as the shortcomings throughout the state,” he said. “This program has tremendous potential to help bring New Jersey out of this current economic crisis.”
Van Drew has been around as a public servant since 1983. Does Van Drew not know the success stories already? Why squander public time and money on this? That’s right, more headlines. It’s what Van Drew does best.
We all know nothing will come of the hearings.
Back in 2004, Van Drew called another meeting regarding Dallas Airmotive. We’re still waiting on the new tenant there.
Van Drew is ineffective for his constituents.
Posted in New Jersey, Politics | No Comments »
Monday, March 15th, 2010
New Jersey’s 1st District is not served well by its state senator Jeff Van Drew when he proposes legislation that would do little. Van Drew has posted yet another bill. In this one, Van Drew calls for reducing state government’s fleet of 7,000 vehicles.
That sounds great. Then Van Drew softens the effect of the bill by stating that law enforcement and public works be exempt. He further contends that “leniency would be encouraged for employees who need state vehicles to do their jobs.”
What vehicles are left? Why does the state own any vehicle that is not needed for an employee to do his job?
What is really happening is that Van Drew is tossing more legislation onto the pile. He sponsors more bills than any legislator. His name is always in the paper. It sounds great to sponsor a bill that generates the headline NJ Senate panel: slash state car fleet. The impression is that Van Drew is fighting for us; the reality is that he’s re-shuffling the paperwork to garner a headline.
In the polling booth, Van Drew is banking on that you remember his name, not that he didn’t do anything.
Posted in New Jersey, Politics | 2 Comments »
Tuesday, February 23rd, 2010
Beesley’s Point Bridge is another example of the outrageous cost of government. Nearly three years ago I wrote about how state senator Jeff Van Drew wanted his constituents to cough up $20 million to repair the dilapidated bridge over Great Egg Harbor River.
The bridge, which the state closed, was a private bridge. It purchased the bridge from the owners. Now the cost to repair the bridge is estimated at $32 million.
The big news out of the Cape May County Transportation Conference is that the Beesley’s Point Bridge is going to cost just under $32 million to repair.
Van Drew now is positioning to get the state of New Jersey to foot the bill for the repairs.
Here’s a memorandum to Mr. Van Drew: the state has no money.
Yes, it would be nice to have a second pass over the river. But at $32 million (and knowing how government works, the cost will be much more than that), a second pass is not something that taxpayers can afford today. Has Mr. Van Drew been paying attention?
Mr. Van Drew championed Team Van Drew to get his T-shirt buddies re-elected in November. Apparently Team Van Drew in favor of more government spending during “unprecedented financial times”. Remember this when Van Drew speaks about how he has been fiscally responsible next time he wants your vote.
Posted in New Jersey, Politics | No Comments »
Saturday, November 28th, 2009
In a funk . . . A 15-lb. turkey did not fare well on the rotisserie. Had to move to the smoker . . . Like tuning into a soap opera years later, re-visiting some former online haunts is like I hadn’t been away with the same sniping, arguments, pettiness, etc. . . . Three weeks since Clayton posted a podcast. It appears Today in Social Media is dying. He isn’t even cleaning up the spam on the group page . . . ebay was so nice to let me know my ebay anniversary was at hand. Splendid! . . . We had nine of our planned 10 Christmas trees up and decorated two weeks ago . . . Things have changed in my life. I now know I am no good on little to no sleep . . . It is good to see Bigmista explain the spam. It is so unlike him . . . Recently I began reading a new discussion board. It is amazing how quickly the resident forum ass is spotted . . . I almost always have my camera on my body, but last week I kept it at home a couple days. Sure enough, I missed a unique shot: a dead deer outside a pet cemetery. Go figure . . . For the record, while I really love my job, I loathe writing lesson plans. At least they are easier this year given I created a database of my lessons. Unless I teach something new, it’s just clicking and formatting . . . I note that Vineland denied Lilliston Ford a $500,000 loan to upgrade its facilities due to Lilliston being a “vulnerable auto market”. Millville approved a similar loan to another Lilliston branch. Why the difference? . . . The “greening” of New Jersey has begun. Van Drew is pushing windmills. Look out Millville: legislation is coming to permit windmills . . .
Posted in Bob, Education, New Jersey, Politics | No Comments »
